Grave Guard build

[Siphon]

Alright, I’ve finally got my grave guard in my hands after a couple months of them floating around with USPS.  I ended up with 40 unbuilt.  So based on the games y’all have played and the new rules, what is everyone thinking for how I should build them?

20 Great weapon and 20 sword and board?

30 GW and only 10 S&B for a small holding unit?

 

The Great weapon rules look better overall, but it might be nice to have a 4+ that mixed with All out defense is immune to rend -1.  Plus the shields look cooler.

 

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by Siphon

[Honk]

You might just go for 20+20 and if you’ll really want the big blender mob, just sprinkle in some shield guys…

the greatweapon vs shield discussion started when Nagash invented them and us still undecided…

[Jaxler]

I subscribe to the philosophy that graveguard don't want shields for a few reasons. If they need the extra save, pop a cp. Accept that they don't handle hits to the face, and instead focus on getting them to hit hard and first. 

Edited July 5, 2021 by Jaxler

[Doko]

2 hand allways better,and now is 3.0 with the cap in +1 is even more easy the choice.

I built 20 with 2 hands and 20 with shields because i like more the shield visual,but i allways play the 40 as 2 hands because i havent problems with proxy in my group

[Neil Arthur Hotep]

My personal conclusion is that Grave Guard with shields are killy enough after basically any buff. The extra damage from Great Weapons will often be overkill. So personally I think in units of 20+ you can go with shields and not feel bad about it, if you are planning to give them any kind of support.

I would build units of 10 with great weapons, though. The damage boost is high enough that even 10 are a serious threat at that size.

It kind of depends on what you are planning to do with them, though. I personally feel that if you run a big block you should expect them to get charged sometimes, and if you want them to live through that you want all the save bonuses you can get. Shields get you to a 4+, ignoring rend -1 if you use All-Out Defense as well. You can't expect Grave Guard to tank forever, but between the 6+ ward and healing in Gravelords, they are more durable than they look.

[Liquidsteel]

I think a good takeaway is that both work.

It was mathed out by others as something like a 30% average damage increase vs 16% survivability, or thereabouts I think.

With the flexibility of All Out Defense vs All Out Attack, as well as access to mystic shield and terrain, you can react accordingly with either unit.

I would say though, purely theory at this point not real life practice, that enemies are going to be tougher. Yes 2h GG do a lot of damage on paper, but you won't usually get that much through on a key target, because they will likely be rocking a net +1 save thanks to Mystic Shield, Finest Hour, All out Defense themselves, so your big 3+ or 4+ save targets are going to be on a 2+/3+, and aside from the mortals having each unsaved throw be 2 damage could be key.

I've gone for 30 GG with 2H weapons, but have 20 old Skeletons with Sword and Board, that I can happily run as proxied Shielded Grave Guard if needed.

Edited July 5, 2021 by Liquidsteel

[Vasshpit]

Slightly off topic and I've inquired about this before but thought I'd ask again. 

If i ran the sepulchral guard models (in 10s of course) as reggy skeletons and used the new skellies as sword and board Grave Guard do you think this is enough distinction as not to get confusing?

I really dislike the current grave guard models. 

[Televiper11]

That’s what I’m doing! I think it’s fine both units line up with the proper Warscrolls just fine.

[Honk]

2 hours ago, Vasshpit said:

do you think this is enough distinction as not to get confusing?

Guess that depends on your opponent…

wouldn‘t mind, since the models are very easily distinguishable, but if someone tries to be complicated 🤔

[Wordy9th]

It feels like it'd be harder to argue that it's the small, dumpy old models which are grave guard and not the towering new skeletons when it comes to WYSIWYG xD.

After buying the Start Collecting: Soulblight Grave lords box I'm going to have fairly mixed feelings if they bring out the sickest new Grave Guard sculpts in the coming year. (Please do this GW).